Musing the Idea
by Kitty.M.Smith
Summary: John muses the idea of asking Bonnie on a date, ending up in them taking a night ride out to Hennigens Stead. Rated T for swearing. BonniexJohn


**I have not finished the game and I know nothing-and would like it to remain that way-about John's wife and son. This is simply made because I ADORED Bonnie and could easily see the two together as a couple. Maybe its' because she seemed to flirt with him a lot. I don't know. Here's a random one-shot for my favorite PS3 game of all time.**

**(Note: I made John's wife dead in this fanfic for the sake of my conscience. Didn't want to make him a cheater.)  
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**RDR-Rockstar Games**

**Story and everything else-Mine**

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><p>John Marston wasn't a man of fine tastes. He couldn't care less where the whiskey came from or what blue-collared bastard declared it fine drinking. He rolled his own cigarettes and had even taken to sewing up his own shirts and pants-a skill he had to learn during his younger years. Yes, John Marston would drop dead on a pile of dirt and sleep fine, and would easily let out a slew of curses that would make mothers cover their ears. And, apparently, his lack of good taste expended to his women; first a whore, and now a cussing, sharp shooting, horse riding, Harem pants wearing spinster with an eye for good horses and a taste for brandy.<p>

Granted, Miss Bonnie McFarlene wasn't a bad woman. Not to John, at least. He could see where the men in the saloon were coming from; she only wore a dress to church (and even then without a corset), she swore, she spat, she yelled and she fought. She was one of the most unladylike ladies he'd ever set eyes upon. Yet he found her attractive to the point it was frustrating. He didn't know how to approach her; he really didn't think she wanted any sort of relationship, even though it sometimes seemed like she flirted with him. Then again, he might be mistaking flattery for her simply being friendly and grateful for the work he did around the ranch. Nevertheless, Mister John Marston fancied the spinster, and prayed to God the feeling would be mutual, whenever he could muster the courage to ask her on an outing.

"Mister Marston," Bonnie sauntered up to the man as he pounded a horseshoe into the hove of his horse. He glanced up at her and wiped sweat from his brow before continuing.

"Miss McFarlene." He said.

"Bonnie, you fool. You got prearranged plans this evenin?" She inquired, leaning her hip against the barn.

"Jus' smokin' and drinkin', ma'am."

"Well, in that case, would you care to join a lady in dining?"

John blinked and finished nailing in the horseshoe before standing up and looking down at Bonnie. "Pardon?"

"Pa is at the auction house in Black Water until night after next." She said. "A woman could use some company."

John Marston sensed a chance and nodded. "Pleasure, Miss McFarlene."

She smiled. "Great." She patted his shoulder and turned to walk off. "Don't let ya horse kick you in the ass."

"I wish you the same, Miss McFarlene."

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><p>Bonnie cooked collards and pork and potatoes, both surprised and flattered when John showed up to the house a bit early and assisted her in the cooking. She was even more surprised when she found him able to cook the pork better than she ever could. They sat down to their dinner for two, which was awkward for only one of them, because only one of them was sweating under the collar and thinking how to go about asking for a romantic outing.<p>

It wasn't until after the dinner that he figured out what to do. He helped Bonnie with the dishes, chuckling at her again surprised face. After this he went to the window.

"Beautiful night." He said slyly.

"It is." She agreed, coming to stand beside him. She'd let her hair down, and it swept around at her elbows. It was a nice look for her.

"Wanna take a ride?" He offered the idea. She blinked and then thought a moment before nodding and smiling a bit.

"That sounds like a nice idea, Mister Marston."

And so they set out. Their horses walked next to each other leisurely. The stars shined with the moon to provide enough light to illuminate their path. The air was quiet in a peaceful way, rare in Hennigens Stead. Low chirps of crickets orchestrated their ride. Neither talked, though John felt he ought to. Now that they were out, his mind was blank.

"Beautiful, ain't it?" Bonnie said, making John have to refrain from letting out a sigh of relief.

"Sure is Miss McFarlene." John said.

"_Bonnie. _For God's sake, why is that so hard, John?" Bonnie's annoyance seemed both real and joking.

"Uuuuuh..." John smiled cheekily. "I just like gittin' a rise outta you, _Mi_ss_ McFarlene_."

Bonnie blinked and then put her hands on her hips. "Why Mister Marston, you're an ass."

"I know." He grinned. She leaned over and punched his shoulder hard. John wasn't expecting the action, and therefore fell off his horse and landed on his ass. Bonnie quickly jumped off her horse and ran over to him.

"John! Oh shit, are you ok?!" She grabbed his arm and wrenched him up onto his feet. John stumbled into Bonnie and, to avoid making her fall, grabbed around her waist. They both soon steadied, but his hands remained on her hips. Bonnie raised an eyebrow at him after his hands rested a second to long to be considered friendly.

"I'm stable now, Mister Marston." She said a bit oddly. John blinked rapidly and flung his hands off her hips.

"S-Sorry." He said, unable to even come up with a half assed excuse. That was stupid. Stupid, stupid, _stupid_. "I-I donno what that-uh-"

"Save it, John." Bonnie lightly patted his chest. He was surprised he wasn't whacked, but didn't question it. She looked around and spotted an old oak tree, tall and once proud before the Arizona sun had taken its toll. "What say we set down over yonder for a bit?"

"Alright." John nodded. Bonnie squat down by the tree then flopped back on her butt. John took the slightly more graceful route and lowered himself on one leg while the other went out, silently sitting in the dust. They enjoyed the silence a moment, watching the stars and listening to the rustling of the horses grazing.

"My Pa used to take me out here when I was a girl." Bonnie said randomly. "Rustle me outta bed and pack me on his back. Set me down here and tell me all bout the stars like his momma did fer him."

John smiled. "Sweet memory."

"Like sugar." She nodded smiling at the thought. "He only stopped when I got too big to carry. Then I did it myself. I'd even rustle him outta bed some nights. Ma was real sore bout it for awhile since it "Interrupted her beauty rest"." She snorted and chuckled. "Ma was always stubborn bout that."

"Beauty rest?"

"Ya. Said if I didn't stop gettin up at night I'd never get married." She snorted. "Oh well."

John chuckled a bit and glanced at the necklace she wore around her neck. It was a placement of local turquoise in a gold frame that rested flatly on her chest. He nodded to it, raising an eyebrow. "Was that your mother's?"

Her hand went to the necklace and she briefly stroked it before nodding. "Yeah. She gave it to me before the tuberculosis got 'er."

"Oh. I'm sorry."

"Naw, naw it's fine. It was a long time ago." Bonnie smiled slightly to reassure him before leaning against the trunk of the tree. "Tell me, John..."

"Yeah?"

"Are you normally this bad at hiding your feelings?"

John stopped. "P-Pardon?" Damn his voice.

"You're _real _ bad at hidin when you like someone more than a friend, John." Bonnie's lips crept slyly into a smile. "You spend so much time frownin' it's easy to tell when you ain't. And it's easy ta tell when you're trying to be nice, or tryin to ask a lady on a romantic outing."

"Uh..." John stopped and threw down his hat. "Goddamn you Bonnie McFarlene."

"Already has, Marston." She smirked before grabbing up the hat and placing it on her own head. The older man blinked and looked amused.

"Can I have that back?" He held out his hand expectantly. Bonnie tucked her hair that remained down behind her ear and smiled.

"No."

"I'd really like it back, Bonnie."

Though the sentiment of him using her actual name was appreciated, Bonnie still did not relinquish the cowboy's hat. Instead, she stood, hands behind her back. "I like it."

"So do I. Which is why I want it back."

"No."

"It was mine in the first place."

"Was."

"Bonnie." He rolled his eyes and held his hand up high, gesturing for her to hand it over. Bonnie teasingly took a step back. John felt annoyed, but not in a bad way. It was a good sort of annoyed. He didn't know how, but it was. Maybe it's because it was obvious she was teasing, or because of the racing of his heart and the flush in his cheeks he hoped was hidden by darkness. He pushed himself to his feet and reached out for the hat. Bonnie jumped out of his reach, grinning.

"You little fox." He said in mock anger. Bonnie just winked. John went after the hat again, and again Bonnie hopped out of the way. This process continued for a number of minutes until John decided to be somewhat daring and grab Bonnie's arm, pulling her over and snatching the hat off her head and putting it on his own. Bonnie laughed and whacked him.

"Damn it, ya bastard." She laughed, whacking his chest. John gave out a deep throated chuckle. "That's me."

She rolled her eyes and breathed deeply. The two looked at each other and realized they were quite close, near touching other than where John's hand was still planted on her forearm. Bonnie couldn't recall the last time she'd been this close to a man that she didn't intend on beating upside the head. John couldn't remember when he'd last been this close to a woman, period, since his wife died. Both recalling their lack of human contact, they gently eased into a sort of hug where John rested his hands on her hips and she laid her arms over his shoulders. Being that much shorter, Bonnie rested her chin on his chest, looking up at him.

"I ain't been this close to a woman in a long time." John mumbled quietly.

"Same." Bonnie said quietly, smiling just a bit. "Never realized how nice it is."

"...Have you ever kissed a man, Miss McFarlene?" John had a teasing grin on his face. First, she whacked him. Then, she slowly shook her head.

"Might be shameful, but I haven't."

So John changed that. It was unauthorized but the surprise seemed effective on Bonnie, who didn't pull away. After it, she quietly smiled up at John and hugged him.

"You, John Marston, are some sort of bastard, but you're a good bastard." She slid a hand up on his grizzled cheek and smiled slightly. "And I hate ya for it."

"Never thought I'd thank someone for callin' me a bastard, but I am." He chuckled, and she joined. The two kissed a couple more times, and hugged a little tighter. They stared at the stars, both quietly musing their odd meeting and seemingly blooming relationship. In the end, the two parted to their horses among the dry rustling grass and then came by each other as they rode, holding hands fro Hennigans Stead to Bonnie's front door.

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><p><strong>Probably some OOC. Probably some stupidity, like the ending. Though I hope it wasn't entirely stupid. I kinda of lost it there, but anyhow. I hope whoever reads this enjoys it. <strong>


End file.
